Photoelectric apparatus for providing information about the width of matrices in a line casting machine



March 18. 1969 D. J. SINNOTT PHOTOELECTRIC APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION ABOUT THE WIDTH OF MATRICES IN A LINE CASTING MACHINE Filed June 2, 1966 INVENTOR. Q4100 d SIN/V077 United States Patent Ofice 3,433,965 Patented Mar. 18, 1969 3,433,965 PHOTOELECTRIC APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION ABOUT THE WIDTH OF MAT- RICES IN A LINE CASTING MACHINE David J. Sinnott, Ringwood, N.J., assignor to Powers & Eaton Industries, Inc., South Hackensack, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed June 2, 1966, Ser. No. 554,872 US. Cl. 250219 19 Claims Int. Cl. C01n 21/30 The present invention relates to a width detecting mechanism and more particularly to a width detecting mechanism which is to be used with a tape perforator to form a justified tape for use in automatic machines such as line casting machines.

Line casting machines are adapted to cast a line of type from a line of assembled character-bearing matrices which have been selected by the operator of the line casting machine or by a tape which controls the operation of the line casting machine. These matrices are stored in either a single magazine or in a plurality of magazines on the line casting machine. As is well known, each magazine contains a plurality of channels and each channel contains a number of matrices all bearing the same character or symbol.

In general, the matrices are dropped from the magazine, or magazines, in one-by-one relationship onto an assembly slide. When a sufficient number of matrices have been assembled to form a line, the matrices are transferred to an elevator which then moves the matrices to a position where a line of type is cast from the matrices, as is well known in the art.

Recently it has become common to control the release of the matrices from the magazine, or magazines by a perforated tape. The tape is prepared by forming a series of code combinations, ordinarily in the form of code openings, into the tape. The tape is fed to a tape reader which controls the release of the matrices from the magazine, or magazines.

Matrices in different channels in a magazine may be of different widths since there is no relationship between the width of the matrices in one channel with the width of the matrices in any other channel in the magazine. Furthermore, where a plurality of magazines are to be used, there is no relationship between the width of the matrices in one magazine to the width of the matrices in any other magazine, even though the matrices bear the same character.

Hence, in automatically operated machines, it is desirable to initially prepare a justified tape which will compensate for the differences in the widths of the various matrices. This necessitates counting not only the number of matrices which are to be released in order to make up a line but it also requires adding up the widths of the matrices in a given line. When tape is prepared for a line casting machine using one magazine it is necessary for the operator who is preparing the tape to know the width of each matrix in that magazine. When a tape is being prepared for a line casting machine which will use a plurality of magazines, it is necessary to know the width of the matrix for each character in each magazine.

The present invention has for one of its objects the provision of an improved width detecting mechanism which will automatically detect the width of each matrix either in a single magazine or in a plurality of magazines.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved width detecting mechanism which may be easily changed to determine the width of the matrices when a different magazine is to be used.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved width detecting mechanism which is simpie to manufacture and to maintain because it has a minimum of parts.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved width detecting mechanism which is simple to operate.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment. of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specifications wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing the preferred embodiment of the present invention to detect the width of matrices in a single magazine;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view similar to FIG. 1 showing the manner in which the present invention may be utilized to detect the width of the matrices in a plurality of magazines;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic front view showing another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a further embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, a hollow index drum 1 is provided which is adapted to be rotated by a motor 2, or some other suitable mechanism, through a pulley and belt assembly 3.

The index drum 1 has a plurality of index codes 4 thereon. Each index code 4 is formed from predetermined combinations of code openings 5 arranged axially on the periphery of the index drum. Each index code 4 represents a character or some other function of the line casting machine and index codes 4 representing different characters are circumferentially spaced from each other. The combination of code openings 5 forming each index code 4 representing a character are preferably identical to the combination of code openings which are punched in a tape to represent the same character.

A source of light 6 is mounted within the index drum 1 so that light therefrom passes out of the drum through the index codes 4. Located on the outside of the index drum 1 and in alignment with the index codes 4 in axial relation to the index drum 1 is a light sensitive detecting assembly 7 which preferably includes a plurality of photocells adapted to receive light from light source 6 as it passes through the index codes 4 in the drum 1. The characters represented by the index codes 4 is sensed by the light sensitive detecting assembly 7 and is relayed to an electric circuit (not shown).

An additional hollow drum 10, hereinafter referred to as an information band, is mounted around the light source 6 and is operatively associated with index drum 1 so that it rotates therewith. The information band 10 has a plurality of information codes 11 which represent the width characteristics of the matrices in the magazine. The information codes 11 comprise a plurality of code openings 12 which are oriented axially of the information band 10 along its periphery.

Each axial combination of code openings 12 in the information band 10 forms an information code 11 which represents the width of a particular matrix in the magazine. Thus, for example, the width of the letter E in a magazine will be represented on the information band 10 by an information code 11 formed by a particularly arranged group of axially aligned code openings 12 while the width of the matrix bearing the letter F will be represented by a different information code 12 which is circumferentially spaced from the information code representing the width of the matrix bearing the letter F and is formed by a different combination of axially aligned code openings 12. There is an information code 11 representing the width of each matrix in a magazine bearing a different character. The information codes 11 are formed in the information band 10 from the actual width dimensions of each matrix in the magazine.

The light source 6 passes through the information band 10 and a light sensitive detecting assembly 13, which is preferably a photocell assembly, is provided in axial alignment with the information codes 11 so that the light shining through the openings 12 in the information codes 11 is detected by the light sensitive assembly 13 for transmission to an electric circuit (not shown).

The information codes 11 represent widths of matrices and are preferably in axial alignment with and coextensive with the index codes 4 on the index drum 1. The index drum 1 and the information band 10 are mounted together so that for every index code 4 on the drum which represents a character, the particular information code 11 on the information band 10 which represents the width of the matrices bearing that character, will be axially coextensive with and in alignment with the index code 4 for that character. For example, the index code 4 in the index drum 1 representing the character E will be coextensive and in alignment with the information code 11 on information band 10 which represents the width of the matrices in the magazine bearing the character E. Similarly, all the other index codes 4 for the other characters are in axial alignment with and coextensive with the information codes 12 representing the width of the matrices bearing those particular characters.

As the index drum 1 and the information band 10 are rotated together the light sensitive detecting assemblies 7 and 13 will simultaneously detect not only the index code 4 representing a character, but also the information code 12 representing width of all matrices in the magazine hearing that particular character.

FIG. 2 shows the same mechanism shown in FIG. 1 adapted for use in a line casting machine which operates with a plurality of magazines. An index drum 1 is provided which is rotated by a motor 2 and has index codes 4 formed therein by code openings 5. A light source 6 and a light sensitive detecting assembly 7 is also provided. A plurality of information bands 10A, 10B, 10C and 10D, which corresponds in number to the number of magazines which will be used in a particular line casting machine, are mounted around light source 6. Each information band 10A, 10B, 10C and 10D has information codes 11A, 11B, 11C and 11D, formed by code openings 12A, 12B, 12C and 12D, which represent the width of matrices in each magazine. The information codes 11A to 11D on information bands 10A to 10D represents the width of the matrices as reflected by the actual width of each matrix in each magazine. A light sensitive detecting assembly 13A, 13B, 13C and 13D is provided for each information band 10A to 10D, respectively.

The information bands 10A to 10D are mounted to each other and to the index drum 4 so that the information codes 11A to 11D, representing width of matrices in different magazines bearing the same character, are all in axial alignment with each other and in alignment with the index code 4 representing that character on the index drum 1. For example, the index code 4 which represents the letter E" is in alignment with the following: information code 11A on information band 10A representing the width of all matrices bearing the letter E in one magazine, information code 11B on information band 10B representing the width of all matrices bearing the letter E in another magazine, information code 11C in information band 10C representing the width of all matrices bearing the letter E in a third magazine, and information code 11D in information band 10D representing the letter E in still another magazine and its width.

Thus, with this structure, when index drum 1 and information bands 10A to 10D are rotated the index code 4 on index drum 1, representing a particular character, is detected by the light sensitive assembly 7 and the other light sensitive assemblies 13A to 13D simultaneously detect the information codes 11A to 11D representing the widths of all the matrices bearing that character in all the magazines. With this information, an electric circuit can determine the proper justification to be inserted into a justified tape which is being perforated. It will be seen that the width of the matrices in any magazine can be easily determined by using one or more or any combination of information bands 10A to 10D, in order to facilitate preparation of a justified tape.

While, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the light source 6 is shown as being a single unit for both the information band 10 and the index drum 1 (FIG. 1) or for index drum 1 and information bands 10A to 10D (FIG. 2), it will be understood that separate light sources may also be used. Furthermore, while separate light sensitive detecting assemblies 7 and 13 (FIG. 1) or 7 and 13A to 13D (FIG. 2), are shown, it will be understood that a single light sensitiev detecting assembly may also be used. In addition, while separate index drum and information band(s) is shown, it is within the purview of the present invention to have the index codes and the information codes formed in a single hollow drum. Moreover, in the drawing, the index code 4 representing a character and the information codes 11 or 11A to 11D representing the width of all matrices bearing that character are shown as being axially aligned and coextensive with each other. It will be understood that the information code 11 on information band 10 or the information codes may be 11A to 11D on information bands 10A to 10D may be circumferentially offset from each other and from the index code 4 in the index drum 1 by a predetermined angle. In this event, the light sensitive detecting assemblies 7 and 13 will be similarly offset.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, an index disc 20 is mounted on a shaft 27 and is adapted to be rotated by any suitable means, such as by a motor 21 through a pulley and belt assembly 22.

The index disc 20 has a plurality of index codes 23 therein formed by code combinations of openings 24 in radial alignment with each other. Each index code 23 represents a particular character and the index codes are all arigularly spaced with respect to each other. A source of light 25 is provided on one side of the index disc 20 and a light sensitive detecting assembly 26 is mounted on the other side thereof so that light shining through the index codes 23 from the light source 25 may be detected by the light sensitive assembly 26.

Mounted on the same shaft 27 is one or more (two shown in drawings) information discs 28 and 28A which have a plurality of angularly spaced information codes 29 and 29A, respectively, formed therein by code combinations of radially aligned code openings 30 and 30A, respectively. Each information code 29 on disc 28 represents the width of a matrix bearing a character in one magazine and each information code 29A on disc 28A represents the width of a matrix bearing a character in another magazine. Each information disc 28 and 28A is provided with a light source 31 and 31A, respectively, and with a light sensitive detecting assembly 32 and 32A to detect light shining through the information codes 29 and 29A in the information discs 28 and 28A.

With this embodiment, the information discs 28 and 28A and the index disc 20 are rotated together so that whenever light shining through the index code 23, representing a particular character, is detected by the light sensitive detecting assembly 26, light shining through insenting the widths of all matrices in all the magazines bearing that same character, are detected simultaneously and the information relayed to an electric circuit.

In the drawing, the shown index disc 20 and the information discs 28 and 28A have been shown with the information codes 29 and 29A in alignment with each other and with the index code 23 for the same character. However, it will be understood that the information codes 29 and 29A may be angularly offset from each other and from the index disc 20. It will be understood that in this event the light sources 25, 31 and 31A and the light sensitive detecting assemblies 26, 32 and 32A would be correspondingly offset from each other.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show still another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the index disc is similar to the index disc 20 shown and described in FIGS. 3 and 4 in that it has a number of index codes 23*.

thereon formed by combinations of code openings 24. A source of light 35 is provided on one side thereof and a light sensitive detecting assembly 36 is located on the other side to sense light shining through the index codes 23 when the index disc 20 is rotated by a motor 21.

Mounted around the periphery of the index disc 20 is one or more (two being shown) information rings 37 and 37A. Each information ring 37 and 37A is provided with axially aligned light sources 35A and 35B on one side and light sensitive detecting assemblies 36A and 36B on the other side. It will be understood that the light sources 35, 35A and 35B may be a single light source and that the light sensitive detecting assemblies 36, 36A and 36B may be a single assembly, if desired.

Each information ring 37 and 37A is provided with a plurality of radial-1y aligned code combinations of openings 39 and 39A forming a plurality of angu'larly slpaced information codes 38 and 38A representing the widths of all matrices bearing the same character in each magazine.

The information codes 38 and 38A representing the widths of the same character on the different information rings 37 and 37A are preferably in radial alignment with each other and the index code 23 representing the same character on the index disc 20. However it will be understood that the information codes 38 and 38A may be angularly offset from each other and from the index code 23, in which event the other light sources 35 to 35B and the light sensitive detecting asemblies '36 to 36B would be correspondingly offset.

When the index disc 20 and the information rings 37 and 37A are rotated together the light sensitive detecting assemblies 36 to 36B will detect not only the index code 23 for a particular character on the index disc 20 but will also simultaneously detect the width of each matrix bearing that character in each of'the magazines as represented by the information codes 38 and 38A in information rings 37 and 37A. While information rings 37 and 37A are shown as mounted on index disc 20, it will be understood that they may also be mounted on a separate disc.

It will be seen that with the present invention the information bands 10A to 10D of FIGS. 1 and 2, the information discs 28 and 28A of FIGS. 3 and 4 or the information rings of FIGS. 37 and 37A of FIGS. 5 and 6 may have the index codes formed therein representing the width of matrices bearing particular characters in particular magazines. These are prepared to reflect the width of the matrices in each magazine.

Any one or more of the information bands, discs or rings may be used depending on which magazine will be used in a particular line casting machine. The present invention is versatile in that some information bands, discs or rings may be eliminated or others added depending on the particular magazine which will be used in a line casting machine.

It will be seen that with this structure provision is made for an improved mechanism whereby information regarding the width of matrices in magazines bearing particular character may easily be detected and transmitted to an electrical circuit to facilitate the formation of justified taipe. The present invention provides an improved mechanism of doing this which is versatile, simple to maintain and inexpensive to manufacture.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is tobe interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A mechanism for detecting the width of matrices comprising index means representing a predetermined character, having a plurality of index codes therein, information means having a plurality of information codes therein, each information code representing the width'of matrices in a magazine bearing said predetermined character, and means for simultaneously detecting said index codes in said index means and said information codes in said information means.

2. A mechanism as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the index code on said index means representing each predetermined character is in alignment with the information code on said information means representing the width of matrices bearing that particular character.

3. A mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein said index codes and said information codes comprise predetermined combinations of code openings in said index means and said information means, respectively.

4. A mechanism as claimed in claim 3, wherein said detecting means comprises light source means on one side of said code openings and light sensitive detecting means on the opposite side of said code openings.

5. A mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein said index means comprises a rotatable index drum and wherein said information means comprises at least one information band rotatable in synchronism with said index drum.

6. A mechanism as claimed in claim 5, wherein said code openings in the index drum are axially aligned relative thereto to form index codes and the code openings on said information band are axially aligned relative thereto to form information codes.

7. A mechanism as claimed in claim 6, wherein said index codes on the index drum are circumferentially spaced from each other and said information codes on said information band are circumferentially spaced from each other.

8. A mechanism as claimed in claim 7, wherein a plurality of information bands are provided, each information band having information codes therein, the information codes in said information bands representing the width of matrices in different magazines bearing the same character being coextensive to each other.

9. A mechanism as claimed in claim 8, wherein said index drum and said information bands are hollow and said light source means is disposed within said index drum and information bands and said detecting means is disposed along the outside thereof.

10. A mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein said index means comprises a rotatable index disc and at least one information disc rotatable in synchronism with said index disc.

11. A mechanism as claimed in claim 10, wherein the code openings in said index disc are radially aligned therein to form index codes and the code openings in said information disc are radially aligned therein to form information codes.

12. A mechanism as claimed in claim 11, wherein said index codes on the index drum are angularly spaced from each other and said information codes on said information bands are angularly spaced from each other.

13. A mechanism as claimed in claim 12, wherein a plurality of information discs are provided, each information disc having information codes therein, the information discs representing the width of matrices in different magazines bearing the same character being in alignment with each other.

14. A mechanism as claimed in claim 13, wherein said index disc and said information discs are mounted on the same shaft in spaced relation to each other.

15. A mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein said index means comprises a rotatable index disc and at least one information ring rotatable in synchronism with said index disc and mounted along the periphery of said index disc.

16. A mechanism as claimed in claim 15, wherein the code openings on said index disc are radially aligned therein to form index codes and the code openings in said infonmation rings are radially aligned therein to form information codes.

17. A mechanism as claimed in claim 16, wherein said index codes on the index drum are angularly spaced from each other and said information codes on said information ring are angularly spaced from each other.

18. A mechanism as claimed in claim 17, wherein a plurality of information rings are provided, each in- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,020,534 2/1962 Jones.

' 3,023,318 2/1962 Jones.

3,207,845 9/ 1965 Swenson. 3,215,848 11/1965 Zworykin.

FOREIGN PATENTS 721,822 6/1942 Germany.

OTHER REFERENCES Kuhne, et al.: IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol.

25 4, No. 12, May 1962.

RALPH G. NILSON, Primary Examiner.

M. A. LEAVITI, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MECHANISM FOR DETECTING THE WIDTH OF MATRICES COMPRISING INDEX MEANS REPRESENTING A PREDETERMINED CHARACTER, HAVING A PLURALITY OF INDEX CODES THEREIN, INFORMATION MEANS HAVING A PLURALITY OF INFORMATION CODES THEREIN, EACH INFORMATION CODE REPRESENTING THE WIDTH OF MATRICES IN A MAGZINE BEARING SAID PREDETERMINED CHARACTER, AND MEANS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY DETECTING SAID INDEX CODES IN SAID INDEX MEANS AND SAID INFORMATION CODES IN SAID INFORMATWION MEANS. 